It’s the first cut-down day of the weekPosted by Mike Florio on August 27, 2012, 8:33 AM EDT

Earlier this year, the NFL expanded offseason rosters to 90 for the first time ever. And so now it’s time, for the first time ever, to start moving from 90 to 53.

By 4:00 p.m. ET on Monday, every team must be at 75 players.They’ll get there by one or more of the following devices: waiving players with fewer than four years of experience; cutting vested veterans with four or more years of NFL service (like Terrell Owens); placing players on injured reserve; moving players from the active/Physically Unable to Perform list to the reserve/PUP list; and shifting players from the active/Non-Football Injury list to the reserve/Non-Football Injury list.

At least half the league already has started the process, which we’re tracking comprehensively.

Then, by Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET, every team must be at 53 players.

Between now and then, there will be churning of the 75-man roster. Players who thought they had secured a chance to play in the final preseason game (in the hopes of securing a chance to make it to the 53-man roster) will learn that they’ve been bumped by players claimed on waivers or signed as free agents.

That same churning will happen after Friday, with the final five-to-10 spots on the 53-man roster changing not just between September 1 and September 9 but throughout the season.

It’ll be a disappointing week for many players, but it’s a necessary step in getting teams ready for the coming season. The opening game is only nine days away.

Teams are drawing a line after the 75th player on their roster on Monday and it appears that Neil Rackers has wound up on the wrong side of it.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the veteran kicker has been cut loose by the Redskins, which means that Graham Gano was able to hold off a training camp challenge to his job in Washington. Rackers signed with the Redskins in April and was given a good chance of winning the job at that point in time, but Gano showed the Redskins staff something more to their liking.

Rackers missed one of the two field goals he tried in the preseason, which is two more attempts than Gano received in the first three games. Gano got touchbacks on 2-of-6 kickoffs while Rackers had one in four tries, but it doesn’t seem like games separated the two kickers all that much. Gano’s younger leg and/or Rackers not making it clear he was the better choice likely played a role in this one.

The Redskins could still look to replace Gano before the start of the season as other kickers shake loose in the coming days. Rackers could also get a look elsewhere, perhaps back in Houston where Rackers’ presumed replacement — fifth-round pick Randy Bullock — was placed on injured reserve over the weekend.

Pats part ways with Donte’ StallworthPosted by Mike Florio on August 27, 2012, 9:08 AM EDT

The logjam at wideout has gotten a little thinner in New England.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, receiver Donte’ Stallworth has been released.

Stallworth returned to New England earlier this year, after appearing in every game of a 16-0 perfect season in 2007, starting nine. A first-round pick of the Saints in 2002, Stallworth has remained in the NFL for a full decade without ever generating a 1,000-yard season.

Stallworth had appeared in all three of New England’s preseason games, catching five passes for 61 yards. Other veteran receivers possibly on the roster bubble include Deion Branch and Jabar Gaffney.

Stallworth has played for the Saints, Eagles, Patriots, Browns, Ravens, and Redskins. He returned to the game in 2010 after a full-season suspension resulting from a guilty plea to DUI manslaughter in Miami. At a time when the Miami Dolphins could use help at the position, it’s hard not to wonder whether the Dolphins will be interested — and whether that three-year-old incident would be an impediment.

If the Dolphins pass on this specific pass-catcher, there’s always Seattle.

The Colts have already had a busy day when it comes to transactions and they stayed busy on Sunday night by releasing the names of 11 players waived as the team makes its way toward 75 players ahead of Monday afternoon’s deadline.

The team parted ways with 2011 sixth-round pick Chris Rucker after Rucker wasn’t able to win a job at cornerback for a team that’s been looking everywhere they can for help at the position this summer. Vontae Davis‘ arrival could have helped end Rucker’s Colts tenure. Three other cornerbacks — Cameron Chism, Antonio Fenelus and Terrence Johnson — are also among those hitting the waiver wire.

Safety Matt Merletti, safety David Caldwell, linebacker Mike Balogun, wide receiver Quan Cosby, running back Alvester Alexander, guard Jason Foster and punter Brian Stahovich round out the list of waived players. The Colts also announced nose tackle Brandon McKinney will miss the season with a torn ACL, so he’ll hit injured reserve at some point.

With the top waiver priority in the league, the Colts will likely be one of the busier teams in the next few days as they sort through players from other rosters that they feel could improve their roster. The 75 players who survive the deadline aren’t guaranteed jobs in any city, but they aren’t even guaranteed to be among the 75 sweating out final cuts on Friday in Indy.

The Seahawks also waived the following players with the “injured” designation: linebacker Jameson Konz, defensive tackle Lazarius Levingston, cornerback Roy Lewis, and tight end Cameron Morrah. If unclaimed, each man will revert to the team’s injured reserve list.

Lutui, who played for coach Peter Carroll at USC and entered the league in 2006 as a second-round pick of the Cardinals, signed with the Seahawks in April. Barron, a first-round pick of the Rams in 2005, arrived in May.

Lutui had been listed as the second-string right guard. Barron was the third-team right tackle.

Drew was a fifth-round pick in 2009. The rest were street free agents.

“Billy had a great camp, the best he has had with us,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He showed, like he always has, a toughness and an ability to come back and be a top-flight NFL kicker. These decisions are never easy, and this one was difficult for all of us — Ozzie [Newsome], Jerry [Rosburg] and me. Of course, that says something about Justin [Tucker], the way he has kicked and our belief in him. But, that does not say something less about Billy. Billy was ready in every way to be our kicker. He’ll kick in the NFL. He’s a very good kicker and an even better person.”

Cundiff missed a field goal that would have forced overtime in the AFC title game. Cutting the veteran and going with Tucker creates $1.2 million in cap space. For both reasons, it made sense to have a fresh start.

Bears make roster moves, place Brandon Hardin on IRPosted by Darin Gantt on August 26, 2012, 1:59 PM EDT

The Bears did most of the work to get to the 75-man roster limit, placing safety Brandon Hardin on IR, wide receiver Johnny Knox on PUP and releasing veteran defensive tackle John McCargo and waived eight other players.

Eagles part ways with Cliff HarrisPosted by Mike Florio on August 26, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

Cornerback Cliff Harris has gotten his NFL opportunity. And so far it hasn’t worked out.

The former All-American at Oregon who ended up kicked off the team and ultimately undrafted didn’t survive the first phase of roster reductions from 90 to 75 in Philly.

The Eagles waived Harris on Sunday, a day after dropping from 90 to 80.

Harris will now be exposed to waivers, where cornerback-needy teams (cough . . . Colts . . . cough) will have a crack at him. (Actually, the Colts have first dibs on every player waived, through the first three weeks of the regular season.)

The Eagles must make four more roster moves by Monday at 4:00 p.m. ET, and another 22 by Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Falcons get down to 75 playersPosted by Josh Alper on August 25, 2012, 7:08 PM EDT

The Falcons are down to 75 players well in advance of Monday’s deadline to get to that number.

Atlanta officially placed tackle Will Svitek on injured reserve after an upper arm injury ended his season earlier this week.The other familiar name among the Falcons who won’t be continuing on with the team this season is tight end Chase Coffman. The former 2009 third-round pick signed with the Falcons earlier this month, but wasn’t able to do enough to stay off of waivers.

The Vikings have made the move from 90 to 75 players, one day after a 12-10 preseason loss to the Chargers and two days before the mandatory deadline for making the first step toward the looming move to 53.

Jets cut to 80 before third preseason gamePosted by Mike Florio on August 25, 2012, 11:14 AM EDT

Most teams make their first roster cuts after the third preseason game. The Jets decided to follow the advice of Lee Corso and trim the squad to 80, a day before hosting the Panthers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

A second-round pick in 2008, Jackson has bounced from Tampa to Carolina to the Virginia Destroyers of the UFL to the Jets.

Jackson played in neither of the Jets’ preseason games, and for his career he has appeared in only seven NFL regular-season games, with no receptions. He returned 14 kickoffs and 20 punts as a rookie in Tampa.

The Ravens made a handful of cuts on Sunday to start trimming their roster in advance of Monday afternoon’s deadline and they announced a series of other roster machinations to get down to 75 men on Monday morning.

Ever since Terrell Suggs injured his Achilles this offseason, he’s vowed to make a return to the field this season and the Ravens have kept that possibility alive by placing him on the physically-unable-to-perform list. That means he’s free to start practicing after the Ravens have played six games. After six games, Suggs would have three weeks to start practicing and, if he does, another three weeks to hit the active roster or the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year will have to be released or placed on injured reserve.

The Ravens also placed wide receiver David Reed on the PUP list. He’s recovering from a torn ACL suffered in December.

Baltimore rounded out their moves by placing linebacker Stevie Baggs, linebacker Darryl Blackstock, safety Emanuel Cook, and defensive tackle Ryan McBean on injured reserve. The 2012 season is over for all of those players.

Vince Young says farewell to the BillsPosted by Michael David Smith on August 27, 2012, 11:04 AM EDT

Vince Young is on the way out in Buffalo.

Although Young’s release hasn’t been officially announced by the Bills, he wrote a farewell message on Twitter on Monday morning.

“I want to thank the Bills organization for the opportunity and wish the organization and my teammates good luck this season,” Young wrote. “Respect Bills fans.”

When the Bills decided to acquire quarterback Tarvaris Jackson in a trade from the Seahawks, it was a clear sign that Young would be sent packing. With Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter and Jackson as the new No. 2, there’s really no reason for Young to be on the roster.

The third overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, Young has had moments of brilliance as an NFL quarterback but has also had moments when he looked totally incapable of running an NFL offense. Young has talent, but he’s going to have a tough time finding any team that thinks he’s a good fit.

Green they may put on PS right? The rest, no big suprises, no real losses.

August 27th, 2012, 12:13 pm

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12296

Re: Here's comes the Turk (2012 edition)

PFT wrote:

Beckum, Canty placed on PUP as Giants go to 75Posted by Josh Alper on August 27, 2012, 11:48 AM EDT

The Giants placed a couple of veterans on the physically-unable-to-perform list as part of the roster moves they made to get to 75 players ahead of Monday afternoon’s deadline.

Tight end Travis Beckum was expected to wind up on the PUP list after he tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, but the team wasn’t planning to be without defensive tackle Chris Canty for at least the first six games of the year. Canty had knee surgery this offseason and he’s claimed that his knee is in better shape now than it was when he was playing a major role in the push for the title last year. That hasn’t helped him actually start practcing, though, and now his clock’s been reset.

Veteran cornerback Antwaun Molden was released, which isn’t a great sign for his future given the need for healthy corners in Jersey right now, and fourth-round offensive lineman Brandon Mosley’s rookie year is over with the team placing him on injured reserve.

Lions start working their way to the 75-man limitPosted by Josh Alper on August 27, 2012, 12:13 PM EDT

Kicker Jason Hanson will be with the Lions for the 21st straight season.

Any doubt about Hanson’s place on the team’s roster was eliminated Monday when Tim Twentyman of the team’s website reported that Derek Dimke has been told he’ll be released ahead of Monday afternoon’s deadline to get down to 75 players. Hanson shared a locker room with the likes of Barry Sanders, Andre Ware and Bennie Blades in his first season and it probably goes without saying that he’s the only player from that team still active in the NFL.

Per Twentyman, the Lions have also told fullback James Bryant, receiver Jarett Dillard, running back Stephfon Green, safety Sean Jones, guard Jacques McClendon, linebacker Slade Norris, guard J.C. Oram, defensive tackle Bobby Skinner and receiver Terrence Toliver to turn in their playbooks before heading off to the next stop on their journeys.

The Lions have five more moves to make before the 4 p.m. deadline. One name to watch is running back Jahvid Best, who hasn’t been medically cleared and is expected to go on the physically-unable-to-perform list to start the season.